Between the Shadow and the Soul
by SeverusHaveILoved
Summary: A chance meeting will change the life of one Harry Potter as he finds friendship, love and acceptance from a very unexpected source. Very cliché story because I just can't help myself. Slash AU


A/N: I just luuuuuvvvvvv Marcus/Harry pairings. Don't you?

**Chapter 1**

A petite, black-haired boy stretched his lithe body as far as he could to grab a book just out of his reach. He had been perusing the shelves of the wizarding bookstore, Flourish and Blotts, when a title had caught his eye, _Curses and Counter-curses (Bewitch Your Friends and Befuddle Your Enemies with the Latest Revenges: Hair Loss, Jelly-Legs, Tongue-Tying and Much, Much More)_ by Professor Vindictus Viridian. The boy's grasping fingers extended as far as he could manage, balancing precariously on his tiptoes, but the coveted book remained stubbornly just out of his reach.

"Someone you want to curse, little boy?" A harsh voice came from behind him as the boy, Harry Potter, saw a large hand reach up behind him to grab the book he wanted. The young wizard spun around, instinctually uncomfortable with having his back to a potential threat and stared up at a young man dressed richly in a royal blue robe that were cut fashionably and highlighted both the teenager's broad chest and sizeable muscles. Piercing green eyes met dark onyx for the first time as the two wizards considered each other.

"Maybe," the younger boy answered warily, his gaze dropping to the book in the teenager's hand, and then back up again to the taller boy in front of him. The teen had severe features, his roman nose taking a prominent position on his face, with thin lips that were currently curled into a cruel smirk, and heavy eyebrows that gave him a constant brooding, sullen look; his eyes though were framed by thick, dark lashes that highlighted his sharp, onyx eyes and matched the coarse, dark-brown hair on top of his head.

The young man gave Harry a calculating look and then apparently making a decision, he reshelved the book, and before the younger wizard could protest, looked meaningfully at Harry and began moving off through the stacks.

The small boy debated for a moment whether to follow the other wizard, but eventually decided it couldn't hurt. He was in public anyway, so it wasn't like the mysterious youth could harm him.

He caught up quickly and found the other boy in front of the potions section of the store. Looking questioningly at the older youth, Harry waited for an explanation.

"You're muggleborn or at least muggle-raised I noticed, since I don't know any wizard who would walk around Diagon Alley in those," the teen pointed expressionlessly at Dudley's cast-off clothing. Flushing, Harry nodded, not verbally responding to the observation. The taller boy grunted at the confirmation and continued, "That being the case, you won't be able to cast magic with your wand when you're outside of Hogwarts as you are still under-aged."

"Oh," Harry sighed, his dreams of cursing Dudley and his cronies bursting into flames.

"You're not defenseless though," the youth sneered, "The ministry doesn't monitor potion making as it requires a magical core, but no direct wand use."

At the younger boy's blank look the teenager rolled his eyes and sighed, "Here, take this one, this one, and this one," he handed Harry three books in a row. "Have you been to Slug & Jiggers yet?" As the little boy shook his head in denial, the teenager continued, "Good, ask for the complete Hogwarts package and make sure to specify that the perishable ingredients are to be put under a stasis charm. That way nothing will spoil before you can use it. Don't let them sell you a deformed cauldron either at the cauldron shop. Make sure that it's made in Britain. That foreign rubbish won't brew a decent potion."

Harry looked down at the books in his hand and found three very interesting titles: _Basic Brews for Beginners; Magical Drafts and Potions; _and_ To Cut Or Not To Cut: Proper Preparation of Potions Ingredients. _He looked back up at the taller boy, "Thanks," was said shyly. Up until Hagrid had taken him from the hut-on-the-rock, the small boy had not experienced people going out of their way to help him.

The teen looked him over again before responding, "You need some proper clothes. Are you a scholarship student?"

Harry flushed again, but shook his head, "No, I just found out my parents left me some money in a vault. The relatives I live with are not magical and they don't like to spend much on freaks." The last part was said with long-held bitterness. "I want to fit in here, but I'm not sure how." He looked imploringly up at the older boy again. Harry rarely let any vulnerability show in front of others, early lessons from his uncle and cousin saw to that, but this boy had already helped him and didn't seem like he was interested in harassing the eleven year-old too.

A look Harry couldn't identify flashed across the teens face before he spoke again, "Have you been to buy robes yet?" Getting another shake of the small boy's head the teen continued, "Most go to Madame Malkins but you should go to Twilfitt & Tattings. Tell the shop girl, Heidi, that Marcus Flint sent you and to get a full wardrobe fitting. Let them do their job, they know what they are doing." 

"Is that you, Marcus Flint?" Harry shyly looked up at the taller boy.

"Yes, and since we're exchanging names, who are you little one?" Marcus answered, staring intently at the small boy that had caught his attention from across the bookstore.

"Harry Potter," Harry stuck out his hand to shake, not knowing how else to greet the teen that had already helped him so much.

Marcus grabbed the boy's hand, but instead of shaking it, he rotated it slightly and brought it up to his lips to place a kiss on the knuckles, "Well met, Harry Potter. May I owl you? I look forward to getting to know you better."

Harry was frozen in surprise, no one had ever kissed him before that he could remember. Vaguely hearing Marcus' request, Harry nodded his head and bashfully looked away from his new friend, pink dotting his lightly tanned features. Before he could fully recover from the shock of both the kiss and the request, Harry heard the booming voice of Hagrid coming up beside him.

"Look here, Harry, I got most of yer books from yer list," Hagrid stopped beside the two boys and seemed to be looking at the space between them with a strange look on his face. Harry followed his eyes down and jumped in surprise again when he noticed that he was still holding Marcus' hand.

"Oh," Harry hastily slipped his hand out of the teens hold and looked up at the giant man again, "Hagrid, this is Marcus Flint, he helped me pick out some potions books." Harry was beaming up at the grounds keeper and then flashed a sly look at Marcus, but didn't say any more.

"Yeah, well we need to be off to get your robes and cauldron and things." Hagrid said gruffly as his large hand landed on the small boy's shoulder and began to guide him towards the front of the store. Harry looked back to see Marcus staring stonily up at the giant man, but then his eyes softened as he noticed the green-eyed boy looking back at him.

Hagrid got his attention again at the register, "Harry, tha Flint boy is trouble. You should stay away from him. He's a Slytherin and his family is as dark as can be; You-Know-Who supporters the lot of them."

The young wizard didn't respond however, he simply looked back over his shoulder at the retreating figure of the tall teenager. Warmth the little boy had never felt before glowed brightly in his chest; someone wanted to be his friend! Absentmindedly, Harry rubbed at the place on the back of his hand where Marcus had kissed him. He didn't care that the teenager was in Slytherin, or dark, whatever that meant. The other boy had helped him before he even knew who he was, had even given the new wizard advice on how to fit into this strange, confusing world in which he found himself a member.

The small boy didn't want to disappoint his new friend. He would learn more about this surprising and wonderful society. Harry made a commitment right then and there to be the best and smartest wizard he could be. He had allowed his relatives to pressure him into being a poor student, never surpassing precious Dudders, but no more! He wanted to be accepted and appreciated for his talents and intellect, not because of a scar that would forever remind him of a horrific part of his past.

Marcus hadn't even cared about his name or that he was famous; even Hagrid had used a reverential tone when speaking about how Harry had somehow killed that bad wizard. That was another thing the boy wondered about. How did people know what happened if it was only Harry and Voldemort who were in the house?

Before he could consider this new thought, Hagrid was ushering him off down the street. "Madame Malkins Robe Shop first, I reckon, and then we'll get yer potions supplies, alright Harry, and while yer there I'm gonna stop off for a nip at the Leaky Cauldron. You don't mind do ya? Those cart rides with the goblins always make me queasy."

"Hagrid, I'd like to go to Twilfitt & Tattings for my robes, please." The small boy looked up expectantly at the giant man.

"Oh Harry, why'd ya want to go there? Only the posh sort go there? Dumbledore told me ter only take you to the regular places, you see, and I don't know that he'd want you spending yer money in a place like that." Hagrid laid his hand on the small shoulder again to guide the boy towards the robe shop near the Leaky Cauldron, but Harry, having much practice slipping away from large hands, slithered out of his hold and turned to face the grounds keeper.

"It's _my_ money Hagrid, that _my_ parents left me. I don't really see what Dumbledore has to do with it anyway. You said he was the Headmaster of Hogwarts right? What could he possibly have to do with my shopping decisions?" Harry looked toward the man who had saved him from his wretched relatives with honest curiosity. "Really Hagrid, why would the Headmaster of Hogwarts care where I purchase my clothes? As long as I wear them, he should be more than satisfied."

Hagrid was flustered now and their conversation was beginning to draw a crowd. "Well, of course Dumbledore would want you to wear yer clothes Harry!" the large man blustered.

"Alright then, you can drop me off at Twilfitt & Tattings and then go and have your drink. I'm sure that one robe shop over another won't really make a difference." Harry gave the grounds keeper that open, honest look again that highlighted Lily Evans eyes so prominently.

"Naw, suppose not, alright then, but let's just keep this between us okay?" Hagrid looked around them furtively.

"Sure, Hagrid," the boy murmured, more questions popping into his mind. Why would the headmaster of his school try to dictate his purchases? Why had Hagrid been so leery of drawing a crowd now, when he had essentially broadcasted his presence in the Leaky Cauldron earlier? None of this made any sense, but Harry knew that these questions would need to be answered at some point soon.

Even after a few hours, the Potter heir was impressed with the wizarding world and knew he wanted to know more about the society that his parents had been a part of, that he should have been a part of. That didn't mean he was going to take everything at face value though. Growing up as he had, with his relatives, had taught him caution before making decisions and the value of evaluating his options before acting. A little forethought could mean avoiding a beating or gaining extra food, so being careful and cunning had served him well so far and he certainly wasn't going to give it up now.

Harry and Hagrid approached an unassuming little boutique in a side alley off the main path. A sign, the only indication that it was a shop at all, pronounced it to be Twilfitt & Tattings. "Thank you Hagrid. I will be fine here for awhile, so feel free to take as much time as you need."

Without giving the groundskeeper any time to protest, Harry slipped through the door of the little shop. He was somewhat surprised that the inside of the store appeared much larger than the outside indicated, but putting that aside he approached a young woman who stood in front of a counter, "Excuse me Miss, I'm looking for Heidi. Is she available?" The clerk gave him a once over, pausing to give a look of distaste as she eyed his cousin's castoffs.

"Yes, please wait," her words were polite enough, but her tone told him how little she thought of him. No matter though, Harry had been treated poorly his entire life, one sneering store clerk wasn't going to send him into a fit of despair.

A few minutes passed before a very pretty brunette came out from behind a velvet curtain that the store clerk had disappeared behind. She paused, her warm, brown eyes looking him over briefly before she addressed him, "What can I do for you young sir?" Her tone was curious and playful, and Harry was instantly set at ease by her easy acceptance of him. He had been secretly afraid that Heidi would take one look at him and throw him out on his ear before he could explain himself.

Deciding to get right to the point Harry spoke up, "Marcus Flint suggested that I come here to get a full wardrobe fitting. He said that you would know what I needed."

A look of surprise briefly flashed across the young woman's face, "Ah yes, the Flint heir, well alright then, just follow me and we'll get started." Heidi flashed him another friendly smile and then turned to lead the young boy through an archway on the opposite side from the one she had entered.

When reaching a small podium she waved him up and whipped out a wand that directed a measuring tape to begin taking measurements all over his body. Harry pinked slightly when the possessed tape touched places that had never been touched before. He was thankfully distracted from his embarrassment by Heidi asking him questions.

"Alright young man, let's start with your name," she looked up from a clipboard she was holding, poised and ready to record his responses.

"Oh, um, Harry Potter is my name." The look of surprise was back, but the brunette made no comment on his celebrity status.

"You'll want the Potter crest on your dress robes then. Do you have your heir ring on? I don't remember off-hand what the Potter crest looks like."

Harry was confused at this question. "I'm sorry Miss, I don't have an heir ring."

"Oh well, I'll have to see your heir ring or the Lordship ring in order to place the crest on your robes. I'll just get started on the other parts of your wardrobe and you can go and sort the matter out with the goblins, alright?"

Harry nodded dumbly, not really sure what Heidi was talking about and feeling very out of his depth here.

Either ignoring or not noticing her client's confusion, Heidi continued on, "Do you have any preferences on color or fabric?"

After answering in the negative, Harry watched in silence as Heidi and a couple of her assistants created a storm of fabrics, colors and styles. At first Heidi included him in the decision-making process, but after receiving his looks of bewilderment she apparently decided to make the selections for him, occasionally holding fabric up to his skin or asking him to try a certain style to assess how the fabric fell on his frame. After some time Heidi said that he could get down and wait on the small sofa that sat behind the podium. She came over after a few minutes and began outlining his new wardrobe.

The small boy, who had grown up with hand-me-down clothes and broken toys, was a bit overwhelmed by the variety and amount of clothes that constituted a "full" wardrobe. Heidi was proposing everything from shoes to cloaks, underwear to hats and scarves. Harry had not thought of the expense before now, but seeing the extensive list had him a bit nervous as to how much all of this would cost. He would have to ask the goblins how much he had in his vault and then make a budget for each year. Harry thought bitterly of how most 11-year-olds would not have to worry about budgeting their money, but with a sigh let that thought go. It would do no good to dwell on how his relatives treated him. He would be content that he had money enough to take care of his personal needs until he could get a job after finishing school.

"Alright young man, let's talk about additional charms you might want on your garments. We offer the standard anti-theft, fireproof, except in cases of fiendfyre of course, anti-summoning, re-enforced material for rips and tears, and growth alterations as a standard package. Were you looking for anything special added to your clothing?" Heidi looked at him expectantly, poised to write down his special requests.

"Oh no, those sound fine," the slightly anxious boy responded, and then attempting a calmer expression added, "How much will all of this cost?" Harry thought privately that Hagrid's idea of going to a cheaper robe shop may not have been a bad idea after all, but then he really did need new clothes, and Marcus had recommended this shop. Even if the small boy had to skimp on other purchases, he would buy new clothes for himself! He would never fit into the wizarding world wearing Dudders' old hand-me-downs if the store clerk's attitude was anything to go by. Plus, the young wizard did not want Marcus to be ashamed to be friends with him and going by what he had seen his new friend wearing, Marcus' clothes were very fine.

While Harry was resolving his internal conflict, Heidi began tapping the parchment that she had been writing everything down on, calculating the approximate cost of the wardrobe. "Well, with the added stitching for the Potter crest as well as shoes, it will come to about 75 galleons."

"Oh alright," the boy stammered slightly, "I will definitely have to visit the bank now as I did not get enough money out of my vault to cover that much." Harry looked away, blushing slightly, but still resolved on ordering the clothes.

"Oh I forgot, this came for you while you were being fitted. The Flint heir has covered the cost of your new wardrobe." With this matter-of-fact declaration, Heidi handed over a scroll of parchment and then added kindly, "Go and sort out your business with the goblins, and then hurry back so that we can start your dress robes." She smiled at him briefly and then bustled off out of the room, presumably to begin filling his order.

Harry stared in confusion after her and then turned his attention to the parchment in his hand. He carefully cut through the seal with his slender fingers and read the contents.

_Harry,_

_I had wanted to speak to you further, but the Hogwarts groundskeeper seemed very intent on separating us. I cannot imagine why he was escorting you through Diagon Alley. It is my understanding that professors generally take the muggleborn or muggle-raised through the Alley on their first shopping trip. No matter though, we can write each other until we meet again on the Hogwarts Express. _

_I am very much looking forward to getting to know you better. Since we are friends now, permit me to give you a belated birthday gift by allowing me to purchase your wardrobe. I hope you agree as I have already written Heidi and had the funds transferred from my vault. Please, accept with my sincerest pleasure at the advent of our new friendship._

_Yours,_

_Marcus Flint_

_Heir to House Flint _

_P.S., I would like to know whom you intended to curse, the muggles you live with perhaps?_

Harry read through the short missive three times before he was able to comprehend the contents. Marcus truly wanted to be his friend. The young boy had been slightly worried that the teenager's offer of friendship was just a fluke. It had happened before, Harry would make a friend and then that girl or boy would find out about his reputation of being a freak and a criminal and they wouldn't speak to him again. In recent years, Harry had been inclined against making new friends, until now that is.

When Harry thought about it, he wasn't really sure why Marcus wanted to be his friend. It didn't seem to be because of his fame as the teenager had approached to help him before he had ever learned the eleven year-old's name. No, there was some other reason the older boy wanted to get to know him better.

Harry thought over their brief encounter and suddenly remembered the kiss that Marcus had left on his hand. The young Potter blushed again just thinking about the intent look on Marcus' face when he had held Harry's hand.

Even though Marcus had been harsh in his manners, blunt, and suspicious of Hagrid, the small boy just knew that he could trust the older boy. He had a strong feeling about Marcus, and Harry had not survived this long escaping Dudley, and his Uncle on occasion, without listening to his inner voice. Harry did not know how, or when, or from where his belief in Marcus' genuineness and sincerity had sprung up from, but he was going to trust in the older boy and be grateful he finally had a friend.

The young boy finally rose from the small couch and walked out the door towards the Alley feeling more pleased and confident than he ever had before. He had business to do with the goblins, and he would need to hurry if was to be back before Hagrid came to collect him.


End file.
